Solitude of a Long-Distance Teleporter
Solitude of a Long-Distance Teleporter is the fifth chapter of Takashi Shiina's Zettai Karen Children. Synopsis Aoi is trying to help Kaoru and Shiho with their Maths homework, but they have already lost interest. Aoi shouts at the two, complaining that they had asked her for help. Kaoru argues that she is never going to understand it anyway and Shiho tries to read the answers from Aoi's mind. Aoi avoids this and tries to start a fight, but Kōichi Minamoto quickly intervenes. Aoi tries to explain the situation to Minamoto, but he brushes her off saying he's on the phone. Kaoru makes the point that they are a team and should support each other but Aoi argues that the others always get the credit for everything and she always gets pushed aside. Minamoto overhears this and tells Aoi that there is an urgent solo mission for her. Aboard a plane, Minamoto and Taizō Kiritsubo explain the situation to Aoi. The Prime Minister of Japan has forgotten something important for his trip to Stockholm, and she has to deliver a suitcase containing this item to him. The suitcase has to be delivered without raising suspicion over an 8000 kilometer distance within 5 hours. Aoi eagerly accepts this mission and immediately teleports herself and Minamoto out of the plane. Minamoto orders Aoi to slow herself down to 600-700 meters per second or she may tire herself out. Aoi questions whether they will make it on time, to which Minamoto explains that they will have plenty of time. Aoi is shocked when Minamoto tells her that she will have to make 12,000 consecutive teleportations. After a while of teleporting, Aoi asks why it hasn't gotten dark. Minamoto explains that at such a high altitude, the sun doesn't set during summer. Aoi, impressed by this wishes that she could have shown this to Shiho and Kaoru. Minamoto mentions her fight with them and Aoi wonders why she started it. Aoi starts explaining how when she was younger her father's company went bankrupt, her brother was ill and she thought she had been sold to B.A.B.E.L. to cover the costs. She goes on saying that thanks to the wages she got from working at B.A.B.E.L. her father's company recovered and so did her brother's health; the feeling of being pushed aside by Shiho and Kaoru reminded her of that time. Minamoto tells her that when they get back, she should tell Shiho and Kaoru that story. Two jets fly close to the two and announce that they are flying through restricted airspace and must accompany them back to their base. Realising that they won't be able to complete their mission on time if they head to the base for questioning, Aoi tries to shake off the jets. The jets pursue the two and open fire. Minamoto tells Aoi to let him down so that she can teleport faster; he orders her to deliver the suitcase alone, and to not be rude to the Prime Minister. Minamoto thinks to himself that Aoi is just as flashy and difficult as Kaoru and Shiho. Aoi manages to escape the jets by travelling at Mach 5 speed. Aoi arrives in Stockholm at 11:58pm, teleporting into the room that the Prime Minister is in, sitting up in bed. Aoi excitedly hands over the suitcase and the Prime Minister happily accepts it. He opens the suitcase to reveal a pillow, claiming that he can't sleep without it and doesn't want to make a fool of himself at the conference the next day. Aoi is shocked that an Esper was needed for this mission. The next day, Aoi is happy to be back with her team, and has made up with them. Minamoto is watching the Prime Minister on the television and wondering how the Prime Minister got his injury.Category:Chapters